Baseball Union would consider bigger playoffs

[bandl]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101026/ap_ ... d_playoffs

"SAN FRANCISCO – Baseball's playoffs could be expanding in two years.

The new head of the players' union says his members are open to adding more wild-card teams for 2012 and possibly extending the division series to a best-of-seven.

Union head Michael Weiner says it's also possible players would agree to cutting the regular season from 162 games, but that's more problematic because it would cost teams revenue.

"There is sentiment among a substantial segment of the players to consider expanding the playoffs," Weiner said Monday in an interview with The Associated Press ahead of his first World Series since replacing Donald Fehr as union head.

Eight of 30 baseball teams make the playoffs under the format that began in 1995, a year later than intended because of a strike that wiped out the postseason in '94.

Baseball commissioner Bud Selig appears to be increasingly in favor of proposing more playoff teams during collective bargaining with the union next year, which will determine the postseason format for 2012 and beyond.

"We have less teams than any other sport," he said last month. "We certainly haven't abused anything."

In the NFL, 12 of 32 teams make the playoffs. In the NBA and NHL, 16 of 30 teams advance to the postseason."

[93henfan]

Like: Making the divisional series best of seven

Dislike: Everything else proposed

[JMU DJ]

Like: Making the divisional series best of seven

Dislike: Everything else proposed

Agreed... they would have to shorten the season (as mentioned) or it will end up like the NBA where the playoffs is another season and the world series won't happen until Christmas.

[93henfan]

Remember the NHL in the 80s? 16-team playoffs in a 21-team league?

Why not just have an entire season of playoffs? Why play 82 games to eliminate five teams?

[JMU DJ]

Remember the NHL in the 80s? 16-team playoffs in a 21-team league?

The only thing I remember about the 80's is poopin' myself, getting Nintendo, burning my hand on an iron and cracking my skull when I fell off the jungle gym... oh, and fetching my dad and his friends Old Milwaukee's during the Lakers v Celtics playoffs.

[bandl]

I like the idea of adding more teams to the playoffs, but I don't like the idea of extending the playoffs.

And I like the idea of reducing the number of games in a season, but I don't like the idea of basically wiping out all the historical stats.

Meh. I just don't see how it can be done without fucking things up.

[Gil Dobie]

Oh joy, watching the Twins lose 4 in a row to the Yankees instead of 3.

[andy7171]

Remember the NHL in the 80s? 16-team playoffs in a 21-team league?

The only thing I remember about the 80's is poopin' myself, getting Nintendo, burning my hand on an iron and cracking my skull when I fell off the jungle gym... oh, and fetching my dad and his friends Old Milwaukee's during the Lakers v Celtics playoffs.

Sucks to be you then. The 80's F'ing rocked(with a chance of nuclear war at any given moment)!

I heard one guy on a radio talk show suggest double headers every Sunday, shortens the season by two weeks, keeps the 162 games. I like that. Then you could expand the playoffs

[bandl]

The only thing I remember about the 80's is poopin' myself, getting Nintendo, burning my hand on an iron and cracking my skull when I fell off the jungle gym... oh, and fetching my dad and his friends Old Milwaukee's during the Lakers v Celtics playoffs.

Sucks to be you then. The 80's F'ing rocked(with a chance of nuclear war at any given moment)!

I heard one guy on a radio talk show suggest double headers every Sunday, shortens the season by two weeks, keeps the 162 games. I like that. Then you could expand the playoffs

Then all you'll hear about is people (most likely just the Iowegians) complaining about injuries to the players.

[Gil Dobie]

Sucks to be you then. The 80's F'ing rocked(with a chance of nuclear war at any given moment)!

I heard one guy on a radio talk show suggest double headers every Sunday, shortens the season by two weeks, keeps the 162 games. I like that. Then you could expand the playoffs

Then all you'll hear about is people (most likely just the Iowegians) complaining about injuries to the players.

Joy Part Deaux

[TheDancinMonarch]

Maybe they could make it like NASCAR. Certain teams are designated as playoff teams but everyone keeps playing.

[JMU DJ]

The only thing I remember about the 80's is poopin' myself, getting Nintendo, burning my hand on an iron and cracking my skull when I fell off the jungle gym... oh, and fetching my dad and his friends Old Milwaukee's during the Lakers v Celtics playoffs.

Sucks to be you then. The 80's F'ing rocked(with a chance of nuclear war at any given moment)!

I know right? I saw that documentary they made back then about the subject... what was it called..... ummm, oh YEAH! Red Dawn.


The 80's was pretty sweet for me, I mean you're pretty much living the life if you're in elementary school. Nap time, get driven around everywhere, recess, chocolate milk and Cheetos for lunch, etc. Plus, I got my first kiss in 1989, but the whore she was went and kissed another dude the next day. That's when I learned what a skank was.

[DJH]

Good. Slightly shorten the terribly long season, and add another wild card team. Sounds great to me.

[UNHWildCats]

Its simple. MLB can shorten the season without cutting the games. A weekly doubleheader either on Saturday or Sunday. Do the Double headers from April to August, this is about 22 weekends, that allows the regular season to end the first week of September the World Series can be over by mid October.

Teams can do either separate admission or one admission for the games. (teams like Tampa, Florida, Pittsburgh and other low revenue teams can opt for the single price admission in hopes that getting two games will improve ticket sales.

You would probably need to expand the roster a bit, maybe to 27?


Also on an unrelated not, MLB is likely to implement a new 7 day DL for 2011, it will be just for players who suffer from concussion effects. This will allow teams to rest the player without either losing a roster spot or losing the player for longer than is needed if they DL'd him on the normal 15 day DL.

[JoltinJoe]

And I like the idea of reducing the number of games in a season, but I don't like the idea of basically wiping out all the historical stats.

Not understanding how or why this basically wipes out all the historical stats ... what am I missing?

Its simple. MLB can shorten the season without cutting the games. A weekly doubleheader either on Saturday or Sunday. Do the Double headers from April to August, this is about 22 weekends, that allows the regular season to end the first week of September the World Series can be over by mid October.

Teams can do either separate admission or one admission for the games. (teams like Tampa, Florida, Pittsburgh and other low revenue teams can opt for the single price admission in hopes that getting two games will improve ticket sales.

Good idea. Separate gates have to be allowed in order to keep the teams with 81 revenue-generating events.

[Ivytalk]

I hate the idea. But I'm old-school and a baseball purist. Hate the wild card, the LDS, the LCS, and the DH as well. So sue me.